Andreeva surrenders to Conchita: "She knows very well what to say to me and when"

Mirra Andreeva does not miss the opportunity to speak highly of Conchita Martínez, her coach, and credits her with a key role in her tremendous progress. At just 19 years old, the newly crowned finalist of the WTA 1000 Beijing 2026 has secured a top-3 spot in the WTA rankings and is approaching the final with immense motivation and confidence.

Good times are ahead for Mirra Andreeva, a tennis player who already conveys veteran-like sensations and seems to have been established in the elite for a long time, despite only being 19. Her meteoric rise and natural consolidation in the elite are largely due to her collaboration with Conchita Martínez, a key figure in her professional career. She discussed this and other matters in a press conference after reaching the final of the WTA 1000 Beijing 2026.

Here’s what Mirra Andreeva said after reaching the final of the Beijing tournament

The importance of reaching the final in Beijing

"I am very happy and excited to have reached the final. I played very well today and am very satisfied with my performance. Nikola is a very uncomfortable opponent, as we saw at the US Open, where we had a rather tough match. That’s why I’m especially happy to have won today."

"I feel quite confident, especially because I’m very satisfied with the level I showed today. I also played well two days ago against Alexandrova, even though it was a complicated match with many ups and downs."

"In the first set, I had to come back, and in the second, I had to keep calm when she started to react. The combination of experiences I’ve had in each match has also given me confidence. That is the most important."

A key area for improvement in her tennis

"We have been working a lot on the return. In every training session, we try to improve all aspects of my game, but we also dedicate time to this shot, because even if your opponent is serving well, you have to try to put pressure on them in some way."

"I feel that the work is gradually bearing fruit, and I’m very happy with those numbers. Conchita will be even more satisfied because it was her idea. We will continue working to improve."

What a performance from Mirra Andreeva! She puts in an incredibly solid display and steers past Nikola Bartunkova 6-2, 6-2 to reach the final of the China Open. Too good from Mirra. With this win, she will rise to a career-high ranking of No.3 on Monday! https://t.co/gGEnkaSoqT

— WTARussians (@WTArussians) October 10, 2026

Mental evolution and the importance of Conchita Martínez

"I think you are giving too much credit to Conchita, but that’s okay. If I think about this tournament, for example, my first match had many ups and downs, and I felt that I hadn’t played my best tennis. However, with each match, I felt better, both physically and mentally, and I’ve also been improving my game on the court."

"Having played several matches and feeling that I played better in each of them has given me confidence to face the next one. That has been one of the keys."

"Of course, Conchita also tries to highlight the things I do well so that I have more confidence. That doesn’t mean she tells me that I play well and that everything is perfect. She also points out the aspects where I haven’t been so accurate and where we still have to work a lot."

"She knows very well what to say to me and when to say it. That’s probably one of the reasons why I’ve been playing better as the tournament progressed."

Significance of being qualified for the WTA Finals

"If I compare last year to this one, it’s true that I felt pressure back then because I knew I was close to qualifying and that I needed to play well and win more matches. When the moment came where I only needed to win one match, I didn’t manage to do it. It was tough."

"This year, I’ve tried to learn from those mistakes and push those thoughts away as much as possible. My goal has been to focus on the tournaments ahead of me, and that’s what I’ve tried to do."

"Now that I am qualified, it’s easier to stop thinking about it and focus on the remaining tournaments. I want to concentrate fully on playing well each week."

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Andreeva se rinde a Conchita: "Sabe muy bien qué decirme y en qué momento"